[David Dickinson]

Congratulations Many thanks too for the many wonderful stamps you have shared with us over the summer. Really appreciated.

[Hilary]

Charithea, Alisdair and David,
Many thanks for your posts congratulating us on reaching the 50 year mark

[Hilary]

Viola tricolor, Iceland

A stamp issued by Iceland in 1958 in a two stamp series

Apparently the Violet is the flower to use to celebrate Golden Wedding Anniversaries
Luckily I had this stamp waiting in the wings for its turn in the limelight.

The photo of violets was sent to me by a friend, who lives in Leeds U.K., several years ago.

The statue of La Violetera, The Violet Seller, by sculptor Santiago de Santiago is in Los Jardines de las Vistillas, Madrid

The jug / bottle depicting violets was in my Mother-in- Law’s home and we have no idea where it came from

There are many references to Violets in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN and even the statue to the Violet Seller is  mentioned somewhere, unfortunately  I have not come across that yet, so instead I am pointing you to issue number 51 where you can read Gillian Biddle’s article
LEARNING, NOT DOZING

[Hilary]

HIBISCUS
Hibiscus rhodanthus

Yet another stamp issued by the Belgian Congo in 1952 and Ruanda Urundi in 1953

There are some good photos of it here

http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=139570

Although this particular hibiscus is not mentioned in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN I thought you might like to read
HIBISCUS SPECIES IN A GREEK GARDEN
By Irmtraud Gotsis, TMG number 29, July 2002

The photo is of the hibiscus plant we had on the front balcony until the snow of this year. I took the bare plant to a friend of mine, who has a garden, and hear that it is recovering and getting used to being in the ground, which is a more suitable place  for it, than a pot

[Hilary]

Prunus persica, Peach

A stamp issued by the USA postal service in 1995

I went to the street market last Saturday to take a photo of the peaches. Luckily there were also some green leaves and a cut peach to make the photo more interesting

Peaches are mentioned by Derek Toms in his article TOUCHING THE EARTH in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 26, October 2001

[Hilary]

Gerbera

Another stamp issued by Ruanda Urundi in 1953 in a series named INDIGENOUS FLORA

You can read a bout it here
http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=161990

A very common flower used by florists when preparing floral arrangements for bouquets and weddings. Somehow or other I had not paid much attention to Gerbera and didn’t have a suitable photo in my collection. Luckily the local florist had some in stock and I came away with one flower   which you see here

In THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN issue number 22, October 2000
Meg Bentley writes about her garden in Australia.
SUMMER SALVIAS IN A DRY CLIMATE
I quote

“having noticed that many African species of salvia cope with the conditions here …..Gazanias, gerbera, Senecio…..proved to be additional hardy little treasures”

[Hilary]

Malus domestica, Malus pumila, Apple

A stamp issued by South Africa in 1994 in a five stamp series named 
EXPORT FRUITS

The photo is of a Greek apple bought in July

Apples and fruit trees are mentioned many times in
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
 I have chosen MEMORIES OF SAN LORENZO by Carole Cross, in issue number
56 April 2009, for you to read today

For photographs of some of the fruit mentioned in this article, see the MGS website
http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/56-lorenzo.html

[Hilary]

Tecoma stans

A stamp issued by Nigeria in 1986 in a series named NIGERIAN LIFE

The flower on the stamp doesn’t look like other plants going by the name of Tecoma stans or even the same colour. I have never seen this plant so I can only tell you what is written on the stamp

Tecoma stans is mentioned in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN, issue number 78, October 2014, in the article
FAVOURITE TREES IN OUR GARDEN ON THE COSTA BLANCA
By Carol Hawes

For photographs of some of these trees, see the MGS website
http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/78-trees.html

[John J]

Hilary, a couple of photos of our Tecoma stans and Tecoma stans 'Orange Jubilee' taken yesterday for comparison.

[Hilary]

Thanks for the photos of Tecoma stans showing its 'proper' colour

[Hilary]

SILENE
Silene burchellii

Another stamp issued by Ruanda Urundi in  1953 in a series named INDIGENOUS FLORA

To see photos of this plant and to read about it go to
http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=123370

The photo is of Silene colorata growing at the Ancient port of Lechaion, Korinthos Greece.

Silene seems to be a very common wild plant and there are many references to different silene in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN, but not Silene burchelli.

Since I found a reference to Sparoza I thought I would point you to issue number 66, October 2011to the article
SPAROZA AS AN EXAMPLE:
A GARDENER’S WORK…. by Fleur Pavlidis

[Hilary]

Malva silvestris L., Common mallow, Ebegumeci

A stamp issued by Turkey in 1988 in a series named MEDICINAL PLANTS

I seem to have taken the photo of Common mallow at the end of December one year

You can read about this plant here
https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/10799/Malva-sylvestris/Details

There are many references to Common mallow in
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
You will find a lot of interesting information in the article written by Beate  M. Henz
 MEDICINAL USE OF MEDITERRANEAN PLANTS.
Issue 82, October 2015

[Hilary]

Vulpes vulpes, Red Fox

In 2004 the Royal Mail issued a ten stamp series WOODLAND ANIMALS.

This stamp depicts the Red Fox .
The photo is of a ‘cheeky fox’ in the garden of a friend on mine in Leeds, U.K.

Wild animals are mentioned many times in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN.
Of the animals shown on the ten stamps in the series nine can be found referred to in the pages of TMG. Only the stoat does not appear. Wild boars seem to live in some areas covered by TMG but not in the UK , or so it seems, as they do not appear on the stamps
This Wednesday go to TMG issue number 29, July 2003 and read
 FAUNA by Yve Menzies

[Alisdair]

Lovely pictures, Hilary. I think it was fair enough for UK's Royal Mail not to have included wild boar in 2003, as back then escapees were only just getting a real foothold (not far from here, in East Sussex which was their first UK base). Back then I don't think there were any reports from the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire - where they are now a great menace.

[Hilary]

Alisdair,
Many thanks for the information about the wild boars in the UK